Twilight Collection Layout #2

Will be launching this evening - I will continue with this theme each Monday so if you have any suggestions let me know!

My Tribute to the Twilight Premiere...

One of my Gazebo Theme layouts... with a twist! This layout is currently available on ebay, with the option of adding or removing the Edward and Bella Bears!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130274733659&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Hippie Hippie Love Love

Dan won best costume for the 2nd year in a row... I didn't even have to bribe him to wear this!!! Of course, I should get all of the credit - I came up with this costume about 3 hours before the Halloween Party!

Twilight Junkies :)

OK. I admit. I am one of those crazy ladies in their 30's that LOVE the Twilight Series!!!! I just cannot get enough of these books- I have them downloaded via Audible and I have the actual books too and I'm going to start reading them for a 2nd time to keep myself occupied until the MOVIE comes out in November. Never thought I could read 4 books in 2 weeks but these just aren't ordinary books are they? Never thought I'd ever contemplate swapping my hubbie for a vampire named Edward either... who would of thunk it? ;) Hopefully Dan, my mortal husband, doesn't read this post or he'd think I've really flipped my lid this time.

Anyway, here is the latest movie trailer!
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/final_twilight_trailer_is_here_20081009

Have you read her "draft" copy of "Midnight Sun" which is basically Twilight rewritten from Edwards perspective? If not, here you go:

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

Evidently, while in the writing process she gave some rough drafts out for input- and someone ended up leaking one on the internet. Now she has decided NOT to finish it which thoroughly TICKS ME OFF. But, the rough draft is well worth reading - and it makes you want to re-read the whole series over again. If you don't have time to read... like me, who should be working creating scrapbook layouts all day for all of my wonderful customers, you can download the unabridged versions from Audible.com. I look forward to any comments you all have on this subject. Do not be afraid - join the realm of thousands of 30, 40 & 50 somethings who LOVE THIS SERIES!!

BTDLBoutique's TOP OF THE LINE Contest!

If you'd like to enter for a chance to win great prizes, click below for more information!

A Word About eBay's DSR/ SELLER RATINGS for all buyers to read!

HELP KEEP YOUR FAVORITE SELLERS ON EBAY!! PLEASE READ!

I have been selling on ebay for years now... what started out as an enjoyable venue to participate in has turned in to a convoluted mess of change- changes made by eBay executives out to line their pockets in an economic down turn. For you buyers out there, this doesn't affect you. Well, I guess it does- because as eBay begins to hike our fees and suspend us for low DSR's - it does affect the buyers because the cost of the products they shop for will go up, and sooner or later there will be fewer and fewer sellers to do business with.

The most recent eBay debacle is the suspension rule for low DSR's or "Detailed Seller Ratings". You- the buyers are given the option of leaving 1-5 stars as a way to rate the transaction between yourself and the seller. According to eBay, leaving a 4 for an for the description is "accurate", leaving a 4 for communication is "satisfied", leaving a 4 for shipping quickly is "quickly" and leaving a 4 for shipping/handling charges is "reasonable". Sound good to you? Well, not according to eBay. Starting November 1st 2008, all sellers with a lower than 4.3 DSR on ANY of the above categories will be suspended from eBay. So those sellers who have "Satisfied" customers, ship "quickly", describe their product "accurately" and have "reasonable" shipping & handling charges will no longer be able to sell to you, me or anyone else. So basically, giving any seller less than a 5 star rating can put that seller out of business.

If nothing else, this has all of us (sellers) in a panic. Ebay does NOT educate the buyer on the feedback system, or their rules for DSR's - I buy on eBay all the time, and I've left 4's and 5's when I've been perfectly happy with a transaction, not realizing that I'm helping put this seller out of business. It's sad- it makes no sense- if receiving 4's means you are a bad seller, then the buyers need to be made aware of this when they leave the feedback instead of being mislead by the ratings labeled as "accurate, satisfied, and reasonable" which ultimately translates to SUSPENSION.

Check out this link...
http://leavingfeedback.com/page2.html

"Unfortunately, the reality is that any rating lower than 5 's can have a significant negative impact on sellers and the eBay community as a whole because eBay has structured the system to reward sellers with over a 4.5 average, and to penalize sellers with under a 4.5 average."

I urge each of you, if you buy on eBay - please please please try to communicate with the seller if there are problems with a transaction before leaving your feedback and ratings. Keep in mind, that often times problems can be resolved and if the seller is unaware of an issue, and hasn't had the chance to refund or correct an error- your DSR rating can put them out of business.

The Scrapbook Exchange WEBSITE IS LAUNCHED!

Finally! WHOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!

I'm so excited! It is so much fun to add new things :) Anyway, if you have a minute - check out our new website!

THESCRAPBOOKEXCHANGE

Will You Vote for Me :)

Our local Scrapbook Store- the Craft Warehouse is having a "SCRAPBOOK QUEEN CONTEST" and I have submitted one of my favorite layouts of my little boy. Here is my submission:




If you like my layout :) Would you vote for me? You can go to the contest and vote here:

http://72.3.135.178/index.php?option=com_ponygallery&Itemid=102&func=viewcategory&catid=22

My layout is located under the "MEDFORD" location. You do have to register to vote, but you don't have to give them a lot of info to register - so if you go through the selections... and like mine, I'd be so happy if you would support me in becoming Medford's SCRAPBOOK QUEEN!!!

How to Make a Redneck Blizzard

While my husband and boys were watching the All Star Game tonight - Dan decided that he was going to make Blizzards for the boys. I couldn't figure out why they were all running around trying to find a hammer. Well- here you go. Dan, Kasey in the Daniel Boone Hat, and Brady- creating their very own Redneck Blizzards. Please note that I was NOT allowed to give suggestions so what you see is what you get! Who needs Dairy Queen when you have an Oregonian, a hammer, ice cream, M&M's and a Daniel Boone Hat.

Heart Attack on a Platter... or Rolled Hot Dogs

A recipe for you all to try :)

Rolled Hot Dogs
aka...
Heart Attack on a Platter

All Beef Hot Dogs
Dill Pickles Sliced lengthwise same length as hot dog
Velvetta Cheese - sliced into long strips same length as hot dog
Bacon Srips
Dijon Mustard
Tooth Picks

Ok, slice the hotdog lengthwise but not all the way through. Layer some Dijon Mustard in the slice, then layer the cheese and then the pickle. Take one piece of Bacon and secure one end with a toothpick to the hotdog, and wrap the entire dog with the bacon, securing the other end with another tooth pick. They look like this when they are assembled.



Place on a broilder pan, and broil until bacon is crisp. You will need to turn the dogs so all sides of the bacon are cooked completely. Please note that you will loose some cheese :)

Here is what they look like cooked:


I DARE YOU TO TRY THIS. You think you won't like it... but you will. I have made these for many many skeptics and all end up asking me for the recipe. It's my Dad's FAVORITE dinner - his mom used to make it for him when he was little.

MelonHead

Brady ate half of those mini seedless watermelons all by himself tonight :) We'll see who wakes up with a tummy ache tonight.

Bass Boyz

Time for FISHING! Oh to be young again with no responsabilities. Or to be a husband I guess, with no responsabilities :) hee hee.


This what they called a "quad catch"...


I have my very own large mouth bass :)


Once again, Kasey is too cool to smile...


The last catch of the day- Brady's LUNKER. I think he was asleep when he caught this one.

Never Ending Vacation!

Wow. What a whirl wind month this has been for my little family. Plus extended family :) I have lots of pictures to share so I'll go by "event".

First... the dreaded Camp Trip to the Coast. Beautiful, Sunny, BUT NOT WARM Florence Oregon. My poor parents came early this year from Arizona so they could see my boys play in their last baseball games, they didn't know they were going to get to go camping with the Oregon branch of the Clampetts.


You know you're a redneck when.... Your tent is larger than the dining room in your house. Here it is folks! I call this the Taj Mahal of tents. I believe it is 12x16 or something like that- complete with cots for each guest, a wood stove so mommy doesn't freeze her arse off at night and make daddy wish he never suggested a camping trip in the first place...



Grandma Judy supervised the set up job from her camp chair.



Complete with hanging lights and mini ceiling fan to force the warm air down :)

And now you have the trip to the beach... normal people go to sandy beaches where it is warm and sunny and you can wear your bathing suit, maybe get a tan and the only downer is getting some sand where the sun don't shine. Well in Oregon- we go to beaches so we can freeze, get wind burn, end up with ear aches and STILL end up with sand where the sun don't shine just to top off all the other positives.


I'm the gal with the hat. Grandma Judy is in the middle (my boys called her Grandma Doody for a while) and then my SIL is next to her. Can you tell how much FUN Grandma Doody is having??? I did tell her to bring a warm coat but she didn't listen. :)


Papa Bill - keeping warm by the fire.


This is me trying to act chipper and happy so Grandma Doody doesn't shoot me for making her go camping.


Brady... had sand everywhere. I expected no less of him!


Dan had to carry all our stuff from the truck, up the sand dunes and down to the beach. He looks like a refugee... I shouldn't even post this picture it's embarrassing! Way to match honey!


The "hoods".


This would be a pocket full of shells :)


This would be all those shells emptied onto the ground...


Regardless of how cold all the adults were, the boys still had the best time EVER and for that I don't mind freezing my toosh off.

----
So... one day we freeze the next day we go to the lake right by the camp ground and it's warm enough to swim. Or at least our boys thought so...


Wow, what muscles. Kasey trying really hard to look "buff".


Kasey & his cousin Matt - double the buffness :)


To heck with buffness, gimme some sand to roll around in. Marcus... Matt's lil' bro.


A laundry nightmare... talk about sand where the sun don't shine!

UP NEXT - CROOKED RIVER RANCH
Okay, with the name Crooked River Ranch... you are probably thinking, where are the Oregon Clampetts off to this time? Well- I have to say this is one of my most favorite places to be in Oregon. I LOVE IT. It is located up by Redmond in Eastern OR which is more like a high desert area. You'd never know this place was there unless you end up on the wrong road going into a canyon. Take a peek :)


When you turn in to go down into the Ranch - there is this look-out spot which gives you an entire view looking into the resort.


Wow... looky there- a golf course in the middle of a canyon. :) This is looking down from the look-out spot.




Those little cabins are where we stay. There is an area to tent camp, RV camp, or there is the Sunview where we stay which is right on the grounds. It's all within walking distance! A restaurant, saloon, day spa, church- and a salt water pool where we stay ALL DAY LONG while the guys golf.



A zoom in to the pool from the look-out spot. That is where me and the boys spend our days.





Taken from our little cabin...

Brady... Goggleman. Notice the protective film STILL on the goggles...






"Look Mom... SHARK".


Kasey - at almost 10, starting to think that hanging out at the pool all day just isn't that cool.


Until Daddy gets done golfing of course... then the pool is cool again.



Whata stud muffin.

Well there you have it... tons of family fun! Our Vacation isn't over... more later!